If all (these elements) be taken as Atman, there must be…
““If all (these elements) be taken as Atman, there must be eight Atmans (for each person). More than that! There are many different things, even in the element of earth. Now, there are three hundred and sixty bones, each one distinct from the other. No one is the same as any other, either of the skin, hair, muscles, the liver, the heart, the spleen, and the kidneys. Furthermore, there are a great many mental qualities each different from the others. Sight is different from hearing. Joy is not the same as anger. If we enumerate them, in short, one after another, there are eighty thousand passions.[FN#349] [FN#349] Eighty thousand simply means a great many. As things are thus so innumerable, none can tell which of these (without mistake) is to be taken as the Atman. In case all be taken as the Atman, there must be hundreds and thousands of Atmans, among which there would be as many conflicts and disturbances as there are masters living in the one (house of) body. As there exists no body nor mind separated from these things, one can never find the Atman, even if he seeks for it over and over again. Hereupon anyone understands that this life (of ours) is no more than the temporary union of numerous elements (mental and physical). Originally there is no Atman to distinguish one being from another.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage argues that because every element of existence is unique, there cannot be a single, unified self (Atman); instead, the self is a composite of countless distinct parts.
In simple terms: No single self exists; we are made of many unique parts.
Recognize the multiplicity within yourself.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- meditation
- self-inquiry
- spiritual study
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this view affect personal responsibility?
- Can you find unity amidst diversity?
The view may overlook the practical need for a cohesive self-identity.